The accepted approach to vehicle safety has been to provide a vehicle structure that retains its general internal form under impact and wherein the passenger compartment configurations are such as to avoid point impact with sharp or hard interior surfaces. In particular it is high stress contact with the head and upper torso which is to be avoided. The rate of collapse of the vehicle structure and its compartment structure is a factor, and a primary object is to retard deceleration of the passengers with respect to said compartment structures, and all of which is accomplished with the present invention by means of a cooperative relationship in the combination of the dash and seating configurations and construction, and their movements relative to each other. With the present invention, the passengers are projected against a frontal padded surface and clamped into position with the seat they occupy. The passengers remain captive during any subsequent collisions; it being recognized that there is often a chain of impacts as a result of collisions following in sequence.
Heretofore, energy absorption has been practiced in the use of padded compartment interiors and seat cushioning, and mechanical devices have been provided to control the rate of deceleration of both front and rear seat passengers; also to absorb the shock load of impact from rear seat passengers that would otherwise be applied to front seat passengers. For instance, moveable seat structures have been provided wherein deceleration forces are absorbed in the seat structures and/or mountings therefor; and with these concepts seat belting and harnessing is required so as to confine the passengers to their seats. With the present invention, operation is essentially passive since the use of seat belts and/or harnesses is not mandatory, although the use thereof is not objected to and is to be recommended, seat belts being especially useful in lateral collisions.
It is a general object of this invention to provide a passive protective system that becomes operable during most crash sequences to position the occupants between energy absorbing surfaces, thereby immobilizing them during the critical time span during an accident, and with the absorbed impact energy released over an extended time period. Inflatable bags have been proposed and employed for such purposes, but air bag systems are expendable during a collision and once actuated provide no subsequent protection in a chain accident sequence. Furthermore, air bag systems require the expense and complexity of sensitive accelerometers to trigger inflation with a high pressure gas source. It is significant therefore, that the present invention provides for the protective passive seating of passengers during a total accident sequence, and all of which is without complexity.
Padded dash panels are commonplace in motor cars and the like, and to various degrees do ameliorate injuries. However, the front window remains to present an extreme hazard. Like the air bag system referred to above, it is an object of this invention to provide a protective dash panel that is operable during collision to occlude, partially at least, the front window and to raise and form a face or head cushion for the front passengers. The dash panel of the present invention is ported for access to vehicle steering and controls, and for visibility of the necessary instrument displays.
Collapsible, or collapse rate, seating has been provided in the form of forwardly shiftable seats that slide or pivot relative to the vehicle body structure during the deceleration phase of a collision, and with means to prevent immediate restoration of the impact energy that would cause rebound after the impact. Release of the passengers from restraint of the seating is a requirement subsequent to the collision or chain thereof. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cushioned compartment and seating wherein impact energy stored in the compressed cushions is released slowly after impact.
A feature of this invention and an object thereof is to provide protection for the passengers positioned forwardly of other passengers. In other words, front passengers are protected from the impact forces resulting from the following movement which brings the latter forwardly into impact with the former. With the present invention it will be observed that the dash and seating profiles are compatible for the cooperative clamping of the front and rear passengers therebetween, only upon collision and application of severe deceleration forces. To this end, both the front and back seating has its forward limit of pivotal movement into the complimentary positions shown, while the back seating has limited forward shifting of a pivot therefor. The distance traveled by the rear seat passengers and their seats ensures that the force loads on the front seat passengers occurs subsequent to said front seat passenger's impact with the aforesaid frontal padding. Restraint of front and rear passengers is assured by embracement during first and subsequent impacts as may be caused by a chain of collisions one immediately subsequent to another.